Method of conveying liquids



- Patented Feb. 3,1920.

W m h UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. GREEN STREET, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

METHOD OF CONVEYING LIQUIDS.

particularly applicable when employed for conveying a liquid basecarrying solid particles in suspension.

The general object of the invention is to produce a simple and eflicientmethod of conveying such a liquid, and operating in such a way as toinsure that the solid particles. in suspension will be completely andeffectively conveyed with the liquid.

The invention consists in the method described in the followingspecification and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the drawing which illustrates an apparatus which may be employed forpractising my invention:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a simple apparatus suitableto my purpose, certain parts being broken away; and

\F ig. 2 is a vertical section and partial elevation showin details ofthe apparatus.

In practising tile various arts, it may be necessary at times to conveya liquid from one point to another, and such a liquid may consist of aliquid base such as an oil fuel, carrying solid particles in suspension.If it is attempted to convey such a liquid, or mixture, from one pointto another there is a tendency for the solid particles to settleeither'in the containers, or in the pipe line along which the liquid isconveyed.

According to my invention I prevent the settling of the solid particlesand insure their delivery with the liquid at the desired point.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed for practising this process, ormethod, but the particular liquid upon'which I prefer to practise myprocess, is a liquid fuel carrying finely divided solid fuel insuspension.

Any suitable apparatus may be employed for this purpose, the apparatusillustrated being shownmerely by way of example. In this apparatus, 1represents a storage tank, or reservoir, in which the liquid carryingthe solid particles may be stored. This liquid maybe a liquid fuel 2 ofany kind, acting Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Application filed July 23, 1919. Serial N 0. 312,872.

as a carrier, and holding in suspension, a fuel such as powdered coal,peat, or any other finely divided material which has been added to it.

Let us suppose that it is necessary to convey this liquid 2, to a moreor less distant 7 point. For example, it may be desired to deliver it toa nozzle 3 at which the oil is consumed under a boiler 4. Inaccomplishing this, I provide means for confining the liquid andconducting the same in the desired direction, which means may include areservoir orcontainer 1, and an ordinary pipe line 5 which confines andconducts the liquid to the point of consumption, or to a burner 3.

In order to prevent the solid particles in suspension in the liquid fromsettling either I in the container, or along the pipe-line in which theliquid is confined and conducted, I admit a gas under pressure to theliquid while it is being conducted, and in the same way I also maintainthe solid particles Within the container, also in suspension. prefer toemploy air under pressure, and for this purpose may use compressed airwhich may be supplied froman air bottle, but the air is preferablysupplied by means of an air-compressor plant particularly suited to thepeculiar conditions, for example, I may provide a small compressor 6,which compresses the atmospheric air into an air reservoir 7 and thisreservoir 7 connects to a pipe system 8, having a branch 8 and a branch8*, each branch being provided with its individual valve 9. The branch 8leads to a perforated annular nozzle, or air ring 1, in the bottom ofthe reservoir 1. The branch 8 runs along parallel with the pipeline 5,and at a plurality of points along the pipe-line is provided withconnections including valves 10, which connect to air nozzles 11disposed within'the pipe 5. One of these valves and connections isclearly shown in Fig. 2. Each air nozzle 11 consists of an elongatedpipe extending in both directions from the vicinity of the valve 10, andis provided on its underside with perforations 12. It is evident thatwith this apparatus, by opening the valves 9, the air will be admittedunder pressure to the nozzles 1 and 11. And the effect of this air is tokeep the liquid in a state of agitation, thereby maintaining the solidparticles in a state of suspension.

voir 1, may be such that the liquid would gravitate or run freely to thepoint of consumption, but under some circumstances, it may be necessaryto forcibly conduct the liquid to the point of consumption, or to adistant storage tank. For this reason, -I prefer to provide theapparatus with a small pump suchas a centrifugal pump 13 which isconnected in the pipe-line 5. The construction of these pumps is suchthat no injury whatever will be done to a pump of this kind Whenemploying it for pumping a liquid containing solid particles, such assmall particles of coal.

It will be noted that-the compressed air not only performs a usefulfunction in maintaining the solid particlesin suspension, but as theliquid is a fuel being delivered to a burner, the air also assists insupporting the combustion of the fuel.

If this process is used with a hydrocarbon containing light-fractions,there -might be danger of creating an explosive mixture out of the lightfractions and air which would form a gas accumulating over the liquid.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described hereinis only one of the many embodiments my invention may take, and I do notWish to be limited in the practice of my invention nor in my claims, tothe particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of conveying a liquid carrying solid particles insuspension, which consists in confining the liquid, conducting the samein the desired direction, and ad- 'mitting a gas under pressure to'theliquid while being conducted, thereby maintaining the solid particlesin'a state of suspension.

2. The method of conveying a liquid fuel composed of a liquid baseacting as a carrier for a suspended finel divided solid fuel, whichconsists in con ning the liquid fuel, conducting the same in the desireddirection and agitating the liquid by admitting a gas under pressure tothe liquid While being conducted, thereby maintaining the solid fuel ina state of suspension.

3. The method of conveying a liquid fuel composed of a liquid baseacting as a carrier for a suspended finely divided solid fuel, whichconsists in confining the liquid fuel, forcibly conducting the same tothe point of consumption of the fuel, and admitting air under pressureto the liquid fuel while being conducted, to preventthe solid fuel fromsettling.

4. The method of conveying to a burner, a liquid fuel composed of aliquid base acting as a carrier for a suspended finely divided solidfuel, which consists in confining the liquid fuel, conducting the sameto the burner, and supplying oxygen for the combustion andsimultaneously agitating the fuel by admitting air under pressure to theliquid fuel While'being conducted.

-5. The method of conveying a liquid fuel carrying a finely dividedsolid fuel, which consists in agitating the liquid by admitting airunder pressure and conducting the liquid While the solid fuel ismaintained in a state of suspension by the agitation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES J. GREENSTREET.

